Lucknow, April 16 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered action under the Epidemic Act against hospitals that refuse admission to Covid-19 patients. He said that a hefty fine will also be imposed on such hospitals. According to reports, a number of medical facilities are reportedly denying treatment even in emergency cases. According to the government spokesman, "A case will be registered against any hospital which turns down patients. It will be based on the recommendations of the concerned District Magistrate and the Chief Medical Officer. The Medical Education Department has issued orders in this regard to all the Commissioners, District Magistrates and Chief Medical Officers (CMO) in the state." Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Alok Kumar said protecting lives of the people was the priority of the government and no negligence on the part of hospital administrations would be tolerated. Meanwhile, the state government has designated the King George's Medical University (KGMU) and the Balrampur hospital as dedicated Covid units. This has been done in view of the increasing pressure on the medical infrastructure in Lucknow due to its own high caseload and influx of patients from other districts. Meanwhile, the spokesman, assured that there was no shortage of ventilators, bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) and high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) machines in government hospitals and medical colleges. He said there were more than 5,000 ventilators, 1,600 HFNC and 1,000 BIPAP machines in medical colleges and hospitals, in addition to those in private hospitals. The spokesperson said several oxygen plants had been set up in medical colleges and hospitals. "Oxygen plants are also being set up in government medical colleges in Saharanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh and Banda, and at autonomous state medical colleges in Firozabad, Ayodhya, Basti and Bahraich. /IANS